Marja Gordijn-Blok
District 42
QI of the Netherlands, Rotterdam

How long have you been a member of Quota International?
11 years

Why did you join Quota International?
To help the disadvantaged people in our society. My second challenge was to work with women. I worked for 34 years in the container industry, and this was and is still a man's world.

What has been your most meaningful Quota experience?
In the Netherlands we moved school furniture out of three schools and shipped this with two containers to Paramaribo, Suriname, for the Stizona project. When we visited (12 women from Rotterdam) for the first time the conference of District 42 in Suriname, we visited this project and cried. It was great to see that what was moved from Rotterdam was there in Suriname with all those children sitting behind their desks—they were so proud to have their own desks. And this was really meaningful

What are your goals for your year as governor?
To learn and grow in District 42 and to enjoy my visits to the clubs in our district (10 in total now, so this will be a big job, due to the distances). And, of course, to have fun.

What are your activities and interests outside of Quota?
Golfing, reading, and our holidays in Portugal.